ARROW-EOOT. 



77 



derground stem^ or rhizome^ which^ whilst subterranean^ is 

 white and scaly^ and contains the fecula in abundance ; but 

 it is afterwards pushed out of the ground and forms a new 

 plants for the nutrition of which the starch is intended. In 

 procuring the arrow-root^ these rhizomes are taken up and 

 beaten to a pulp in wooden mortars ; this mass is then well 

 washed in cold water^ and the milky-looking fluid is passed 

 through a fine hair sieve and left to settle ; the white sedi- 

 ment is then again washed with pure water, from which it is 

 allowed to subside ; the water is then decanted^ and the white 

 sediment laid to dry upon sheets exposed to the sun ; it is 

 then the arrow-root of commerce. That from Bermuda is 

 most celebrated. 



East Indian Arrow-root is the starch procured from a 

 species of Turmeric^ Curcuma angustifolia (Nat. Ord. Zin- 

 giberace^e), (Plate XI. fig. 54). — This plant produces small 

 rhizomes^ in which a remarkable pungency and colouring 

 matter exists ; from the sides of these rhizomes spring a 

 number of fibrous continuations of the rhizome; upon many 

 of these fibres are small round tubers^ entirely free from the 

 taste, smell, and colour of the main rhizome. These tubers, 

 containing the starch in abundance, are collected and sub- 

 mitted to washing processes similar to that of the West 



